Home Again
by driver picks the music
Summary: Its been 5 years since Jude left, but now she's home for the first time. Will she find out the old saying is true and you really can't go home again, or will she find out that home is where the heart is?
1. Chapter 1

**I would like to dedicate this story to tommyjude21. After a conversation that got me thinking about this awesome show, I had a sudden inspiration for this short story. It will only be 3 or 4 chapters. I hope you guys enjoy it. I haven't written much for Instant Star in a long time so I hope I'm not too out of practice :)**

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Jude walked through the familiar doors. The G-Major logo faded slightly but still visible. She hooked her thumbs in the front pockets of her jeans and looked around the room. It looked exactly the same as it had the last time she had set foot in it five years before. She smiled softly as she thought about how that was likely to change soon.

"Can I help you?"

Jude turned at the sound of the voice and smiled at the young woman with a phone in one hand and a tablet in the other. This must be the new receptionist.

The girl, she couldn't have been much older than seventeen, gasped quietly when she saw Jude's face and she realized who it was that had walked through the door.

"Oh, Miss Harrison." she said and smiled. "What can I do for you today?"

Jude smiled at the girl but before she could open her mouth to respond, she was interrupted. "Dude!"

Jude's smile widened and the young receptionist before her smiled as well.

"Spied." Jude said as she turned in the direction of the voice that had called to her. He ran over and scooped her into a hug, picking her feet off the floor and shaking her side to side slightly, causing her to laugh.

"I've missed you too buddy, now put me down." she said with one last chuckle.

Spied lowered her feet back to the floor and grinned at her. "I can't believe you're really here." he said and spread his arms out. "Can you believe all this?" he asked. "Little Jamie Andrews finally out of Nana's basement."

They both turned and looked around the room as Spied wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Jude placed hers around his waist, letting her head fall to his shoulder.

"It's crazy right?" she asked. "Who would have ever thought all those years ago when Jamie was talking me into doing a cheesy talent search, that we would all end up here?"

Spied nodded. "I know, Jamie with a successful Record Label, me with a solo career and a beautiful wife, and you Miss big time London superstar." He squeezed her shoulders. "We've come a long way Harrison."

Jude nodded, but remained silent. Spied looked at her and raised a brow. "What's wrong? You seem down, but this is a happy time." he said and Jude sighed.

"Big time London superstar..." she trailed off. "I'm not sure how accurate that really is." she said.

Spied frowned. "We all have rough patches Dude, you'll pull it together and be fine."

Jude nodded and sighed again. "Yeah, I know, just feeling homesick I guess." she pasted on a smile. "I'm glad to be home."

…...

Jude parked her car; she had kept her mustang stored all this time, just waiting for her to come home and drive it once more; in front of the house that Sadie now called home.

House might not be quite the right term. That made it sound so much smaller than it really was.

Jude sighed as she shut the car off and stepped out, grabbing her bag from the backseat before walking up the front walk to the place she would be staying for the next two weeks. Just her and her sister...and her old boss.

Jude shook her head just before reaching out to ring the bell, still not able to believe; five years later; that Sadie had really dumped Kwest and ended up with Darius.

Sadie opened the door a moment later. Her eyes widened and her smile faltered slightly. "Jude!" she said. "You're early."

Jude smirked. "Yeah, I got an earlier flight, so I took it. I swung by the studio and then went and got my car." she raised her brows. "You gonna let me in or am I going to be spending the next couple weeks out here?"

Sadie glanced behind her before turning back to Jude. "Yeah, um..." she said. "It's just, he's here."

Jude frowned. "Who?" she asked.

Sadie looked pointedly at her and Jude's eyes widened. "Oh." she said.

Sadie nodded. "Yeah, I didn't expect you here until later or I would have called you. Warned you."

Jude nodded and took a deep breath. "OK, this is OK." she said. "I'm going to be here for a while, it's only a matter of time until we see each other anyway." she said. "Might as well get it out of the way now."

Sadie frowned. "Are you sure?"

Jude nodded. "Not really, but what the hell."

Sadie stepped back and opened the door wider, giving her room to pass.

…...

When Jude left for London, she hadn't come back. Not until now anyway. Everyone, at some point or another, had come to see her. Sadie made it a point to come for a couple of weeks at Christmas time each year and Spied and Karma had come a few different times when their schedules allowed. Jamie had come for the odd weekend here and there and it was great.

It was everything Jude had hoped for. Almost.

Every time someone came to visit, she couldn't help but think of the one person she wanted to see the most, but never came.

As Jude walked around the corner the lead into the living room, she couldn't help but think of the last time she had seen him in person. That day five years ago when she rode away from him and the life they had talked about building together.

Sure she had seen articles online and in the random magazine about him, just as she was sure he had seen them about her. But as he lifted his head and his icy blue eyes locked on hers, it was as if she were seeing him for the first time all over again.

"Jude."

That was all he said, but that one word was enough to bring forth the rush of emotion that she had always gotten every time he said her name.

Jude forced a calm smile onto her face. "Tommy."

…...

"That was so awkward, I think the whole room might be tainted with it now." Jude said later when it was just her and Sadie in the bedroom that Jude would be using during her stay.

Sadie chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but yeah, it was pretty bad. I thought he was going to leave a Tom shaped hole in my front door on his way out, he left so fast."

Jude sat down on the bed and bounced a few times before flopping back and throwing an arm over her eyes. "I can't blame the guy, last time he saw me I pretty much ripped his heart out and tossed it back at him."

Sadie sat down beside her and moved her arm, making Jude look at her. "Hey, you did what you felt was right for you. He understood that." she said. "He's had to do the same thing before and knows it's not always easy but some times you have to do what's best for you and not worry about everyone else's feelings."

Jude sat up again and sighed. "Sometimes I feel like maybe I rushed into it, maybe I should have thought about it more, talked to him about it more, before I left everything behind."

Sadie wrapped an arm around Jude's shoulders and pulled her close. She knew how much Jude has struggled since she left. Starting over in a new place is always hard, but doing it in the public eye without any of your friends and family around just makes it that much harder.

Jude leaned into her sister. She's missed this more than she had realized. "Thanks Sades, have I told you lately what a great sister you are?"

Sadie shrugged a shoulder. "Not recently, but that's ok, I already know."

Jude rolled her eyes and chuckled. "OK, so where's Big D? How come he's not here to welcome the prodigal daughter home?"

It was Sadie's turn to chuckle. "He had to work this afternoon, he'll be home later. The move to the larger studio is taking longer than he wanted and it's stressing him out." She grabbed Judes bag and started helping her unpack. "Have you talked to Jamie yet?" she asked.

Jude shook her head as she pulled open a dresser drawer. "Not yet, he wasn't there, I talked to Spied though." she said, placing a stack of t-shirts into the dresser. "He seemed good, happy."

Sadie nodded. "Yeah, he is." she said. "Did he tell you the baby news?"

Jude whipped her head around. "Baby news?" she asked. "What baby news?"

Sadie bit her lip. "Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said anything." she said, scrunching her nose.

Jude placed her hands on her hips. "You have to tell me now." she said. "I won't tell him you told me. Is Karma pregnant?"

Sadie shook her head. "No, not yet, but they've decided to try."

Jude walked over and sat back down, heavily, on the end of the bed. "Wow, a baby." she shook her head. "I can't believe he didn't tell me." she said. "He told me when he switched brands of deodorant, but this he keeps to himself?"

In that moment, Jude felt more clearly than ever before, how disconnected she was from the people that had always meant everything to her.

She had gone to London because she had felt like it was the right choice. But had she stayed all these years because of the same reason, or was she just to scared to admit she had made a mistake

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**Chapter 2 will be up soon...by the weekend if not sooner.**

**Thanks for reading**

**And remember...**

**Reviews make you AWESOME!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter. :)**

**I'm not 100% sure when chapter 3 will be posted, but probably by the first of the week.**

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"Hey Andrews!" Jude called out as she walked down the street towards his house, the one he still lived in with his Nana, because no matter how successful he became she would always be his Nana.

Jamie replaced the trashcan lid and turned and smiled when he saw her. "Harrison, I was beginning to think that you had forgotten that those planes work both ways." he said when she walked up to him.

Jude smiled and shook her head. "Hey, not all of us like to slack off and take trips every other weekend." she said, tilting her head slightly.

Jamie's mouth dropped open. "Slacking off?" he said. "Don't forget who's label is having a grand opening on a new location next week, the whole reason for your little trip."

Jude laughed and reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him close, and smiled a little wider when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist.

She had missed him. More than that, she had missed this. Standing on this familiar sidewalk talking to the boy next door.

Jude pulled back and glanced at the house next door. It was now the home of a new family, and by the looks of the toys in the yard and the bikes in the drive, there was children there that got to call it home. She just hopped that they would have as many great childhood memories there as she did.

Jamie followed her gaze. "They're nice people. Mid-thirties with a couple of young kids." he said, knowing where her mind was.

Jude nodded and smiled again. "Good."

Jamie clapped his hands together. "Alright, do you have plans for the afternoon?" he asked and smiled when she shook her head no. "Good, we have things to do." he said and Jude raised a brow.

"What kind of things?" she asked, but Jamie only shook his head and smiled. "You'll see, come on." he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled down the sidewalk with him.

…...

'Things to do' meant a snack run and hanging out at the old rehearsal space. It was hardly used anymore, but the guys all kept it around for the rare occasion that they needed some space, a quiet place to crash or work. Or in this case, a familiar place to hang out with an old friend that hadn't been home in a long time.

They laid on the floor, side by side, their feet propped up on the old couch that Jude was surprised was still standing, while they stuffed themselves with candy and beef jerky.

"I've missed this." Jude said, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers. "I've missed you." she said.

Jamie turned his head and smiled softly. "I've missed you too." he said. "Nothing about this town is the same without you here to share it with."

Jude felt the familiar sting of tears on the backs of her eyes and she turned her face away and blinked quickly, trying to keep them at bay.

Jamie, having known her her whole life, wasn't fooled. "Hey." he said quietly, then waited for her to look at him once again. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Jude felt a tear slide from her eyes, making its way down the side of her face to pool in her ear. "I'm not sure." she said. "I just feel like..." she trailed off and shrugged. "Like I thought I needed to leave to find something that I already had and just didn't realize it." she said. "Until it was too late anyway."

Jamie sat up and waited for Jude to do the same. "Where is this coming from? I thought things were good in London?" he said, surprised.

Jude shrugged. "It's easier to push it aside there, to pretend that I'm not feeling it and everything is fine." she sighed. "But here, everything is a reminder of how much I've missed out on." Jude shook her head and wiped away a few more tears. "I just feel like I can't find my place in London, like I can't find a place to feel at home.

"Which is crazy because it's great there, the people that I work with are amazing and so nice, and I have a few friends there, but it's just not the same." she shrugged again. "After five years it still feels temporary."

Jamie thought his words over for a moment before speaking. "Jude, we both know life is short, and can end in the blink of an eye." he said and she nodded. "Which means it's too short to be unhappy.

"When you find something that makes you happy, go for it, with everything you've got, because it's always worth it."

Jude thought back to the last time she felt truly happy and at home, and she knew exactly what, or who rather, it was that made her happy.

_He lifted his head and his icy blue eyes locked on hers, and it was as if she were seeing him for the first time all over again._

"_Jude."_

Jamie tossed a piece of jerky at her, getting her attention. "Earth to Jude, where did you just go?"

Jude smiled slightly. "Home."

…...

Jamie groaned. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" he asked once again.

Jude nodded. "Yes." she said parking the car on the street in front of Tommy's house. "I at least need to talk to him." she said. "It was so awkward today, and it's never been awkward between us.

"Even when we had just broken up the night before because I caught him kissing Sadie" she said. "It still wasn't awkward like it was today."

Jude shrugged. "I have to try and fix it." she said. "I don't think I'll ever really feel whole again until I do." She looked at Jamie and smiled sadly. "I need him."

Jamie sighed. It wasn't that he didn't like Tommy. OK maybe it was a little bit. But it wasn't entirely that. They had actually learned to tolerate the other, both being members of the 'Jude puts music before boyfriend' club, but it was safe to say that they would never really be friends.

Jamie had thought when Jude went to London and Tommy stayed behind, that she might actually move on from him this time. But even half way across the world and five years didn't seem to be enough time and space to accomplish that insurmountable task.

With a good luck from Jamie, Jude stepped out of the car and made her way to the front door. She stood in front of it and starred at the faded white paint for a moment, giving herself time to change her mind, before raising her hand and knocking.

Jude heard movement from inside the house and took a deep breath as the door swung open.

Tommy stood in the doorway, his brows raised and mouth slightly agape at find her on his front step.

"Jude."

Judes breath came out in a rush and she smiled. "Hey Tommy."

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**Dun dun dun...lol**

**Thanks for reading.**

**And remember...**

**Reviews make you AWESOME!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I meant to have this posted like a week ago...so sorry. Real life got in the way and then I got sick. The second time in the last month...ugh.**

**Anyhoo...feeling much better now, so to make up for the long wait, here is a double post. You get this chapter plus I'll be posting the epilogue right away too.**

**I hope you like it. Again, this story is for tommyjude21, I hope it was worth the wait. :)**

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"_Jude."_

_Judes breath came out in a rush and she smiled. "Hey Tommy."_

Tommy stared at her for a moment before snapping his mouth closed and opening the door wider. "Uh, come in." he said before stepping to the side to let her pass.

Jude walked through the door and glanced around, noting that the place looked mostly the same as the last time she had been inside.

Tommy motioned to the couch and chair sitting in the living room and they sat down. Jude on the end of the couch and Tommy in the chair beside her.

"So uh..." he trailed off.

Jude sighed and rolled her eyes. "This is awkward right?" she asked, getting right to the heart of the matter.

Tommy smirked and shrugged. "Just a little bit."

"Does it have to be?" Jude asked, sounding almost desperate.

Tommy sighed. "I don't know, it's not like we can just pick up where we left off Jude. I mean, after everything we've been through, all I've put you through and you've put me through, maybe the awkwardness is the universes way of telling us to call it a day."

Jude frowned and shook her head, scooting forward a little in her seat. "No." she said. "I don't believe that, if anything after all we've been through together, that should just make this easier to get past."

Tommy ran a hand through his hair. "This isn't like all the other times, this wasn't just one of us pulling away from the other or pushing the other too far." he said. "This was you calling off our engagement and leaving without even talking to me about it." Tommy shrugged. "This was big. This was us not talking again for five years kind of big."

Jude nodded. "You're right, it was big, it was huge and I really screwed up."

Tommy shook his head. "No, it wasn't just you, I played a part in it too, I know that. I pushed you into something that I knew you weren't really ready for just because I didn't want to risk losing you." he chuckled lightly. "That worked out really well huh?" he said.

Jude smiled softly and shook her head. "Ok, so we both screwed up." she said. "But that's not anything new for us right? So shouldn't we be able to move past that and not be weird with each other again?" she shrugged. "I mean, we've moved past some really awkward situations before, why can't this be like that?"

Tommy watched her for a moment, not speaking, just looking at her, taking in her face after so long without seeing it. The magazines and pictures didn't do her justice. She's beautiful and there's no denying it.

"Why now?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

Jude sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "Because after all this time I was finally able to admit to myself what I've been trying to deny since I pulled away from you five years ago." she smiled sadly as he furrowed his brow. "I made a mistake. I thought I needed to go off and be on my own to grow up and have adventures and be a rock star." she said and chuckled humorlessly. "But I couldn't see that I already had those opportunities here, I just had to reach out and take them.

"By the time I realized it, I was already there and had a contract and then I didn't want to admit, even to myself, that I had messed up again." she said. "I thought if I just stuck it out for a while, things would get better. But the longer I stayed, the more I realized that I'm not happy there."

Jude shook her head. "At some point, everyone of our friends have come to visit me, and I've loved it when they do. But every time someone comes, all I want is for it to be you."

Tommy's eyes softened as he tipped his head slightly. "Jude." he said, not really know what to say.

Jude smiled sadly once again. "I'm not asking to pick up where we left off or anything, but I know that I can be happy anywhere, as long as I can have you in my life somehow." she said. "You are my best friend." she said, meaning every word. "I just want to be able to talk to you, to see how things are going for you and if you're happy or sad about something, and maybe there might be something I could say or do to make you feel better." she shrugged again. "I just really miss you."

Tommy chewed on the inside of his lip as he thought about her words. Not a day has gone by in the last five years that he hasn't thought about picking up his phone and calling her, or jumping on a plan and going to see her, just to hear her voice again, to see those big blue eyes looking at him like they are right now, like he can somehow make off her dreams come true. The same way she looked at him years ago. It's moments like those that she was always able to make him feel like he could do anything.

And yes he knows that he's hurt her on more than one occasion, and maybe this was karma, or the universe or God or whatever punishing him for all his past mistakes, but he can't deny that she broke his heart in a way that nobody else had ever even come close to being able to before.

It took him a long time to be able to say that he would be OK without her. He might never be happy like he thought he would be, but he would be OK.

But as he looks at her now; looking so beautiful it almost hurts to look at her; he realizes how wrong he was. There is no OK without Jude. He might be able to survive without her, but he knows that he would never really be able to live without her in his life.

"Friends?" he asked.

Jude smiled and nodded knowing it was more than she could have really hoped for. "Yeah, friends."

Later, after a quick text to Jamie thanking him for his support and letting him know she would find a way home later, Jude and Tommy sat and talked into the late hours of the night. They ordered from the Thai place that Jude used to love and caught each other up on the goings on in their lives over the last few years.

At one point, they stood on opposite sides of the room, screaming at the other, getting things off their chests that had been festering for longer than they wanted to think about, before eventually they found themselves sitting quietly in front of Tommy's TV, sharing a pint of Ben &amp; Jerry's Chunky Monkey while watching an old black and white movie they had both always loved.

It wasn't going to be easy. Nothing with them ever was. But as Tommy dropped Jude off at Sadie's house early the next morning, after a very long night, they both knew it would be worth it. Because they had seen what it was like without the other, and neither one was willing to go back to that.

Jude climbed out of Tommy's car and shut the door before leaning down and smiling at him threw the open window, not knowing what to say but not ready to leave him yet.

Tommy only smiled before saying, "See ya later big eyes." just like he had so many times before, and Jude felt the smile stretch wider over her face. "See ya Quincy."

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	4. Chapter 4

**Six Months Later**

Jude walked through the door of Nana's Basement Records, formerly known as G-Major, and she smiled at the crowd of people that greeted her.

Everyone was there to welcome her home; for good this time. She had decided not to renew her contract in London, and instead decided to come home and work for Jamie. She was going to produce as well as do her own music.

She greeting everyone, shaking hands and receiving hugs from everyone that had missed her, everyone that she had missed, since she was there last.

All but one person. He stood away from the crowd.

Tommy leaned against the frame of the open door to Jamie's office. The office that had once belong to Darius, and he smirked at her as she made her way out of the crowd of well wishers and over to him.

"What are you doing way over here all alone?" she asked as she walked up to him.

Tommy stood up and stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Just waiting my turn." he said. "You would think it's been another five years with the way everyone is acting."

Jude smiled, chuckling. "Well I think I covered everyone, so I guess that means it's your turn now."

Tommy took a step towards her, letting his hands drop from his pockets to hang at his sides. "You're really back for good now?" he asked and she nodded "No second thoughts, no regrets?" he asked.

Jude took a step closer to him, meeting him in the middle, and smiled. "Not a single one." she shook her head side to side slightly. "Well maybe one." she said.

Tommy raised his brows in question. "What one would that be?" he asked.

"Not being here to do this sooner." Jude said as she reached one hand up, seeing him smile as she placed it on the nape of his neck. Her fingers slid into his hair and she smiled as she gently pulled his towards her.

Jude closed her eyes and smiled a little wider when she felt his lips cover hers.

After only a moment Tommy pulled back. "What happened to friends?" he questioned.

Jude opened her eyes and shrugged. "We were never really good at the friends things anyway." she said.

Not wasting any more time talking, Tommy grabbed her hand and pulled her into Jamie's office.

They might have a lot they still need to work out and talk about, and they might not be picking right up where they left off those five years ago, but as Tommy pushed the door closed before grabbing her waist to pull her closer against him as he brought his mouth back down over hers, Jude thought that maybe this right here is even better.

Because no matter where they are, no matter where they decide to pick things up again, every time she kisses Tommy...it's like coming home again.

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**Thanks for reading.**

**And remember...**

**Reviews make you AWESOME!**


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